Freight vessel



Aug. 12, 1930.

A. M. mucus-ALL FREIGHT VESSEL Filed April 19, 1926 swanky; j

g freight on combination rail and water routes.

Patented Aug. 12, 1930 ALEXANDER MILLER McDOUGALL, or DULUTH, mimvnsorn'FREIGHT VESSEL Application filed April 19,

This invention relates to freight vessels, and has reference to oneparticularly adapted for use in the transportation of railroad cars,with the object of expediting the handling of Other minor objects in thenovel construction of the improved vessel will appear in the furtherdescription of the invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisapplication, and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one of my im rovedvessels, as it would appear when'loatling or unloading at a dock; v v

Figure 2 is a plan view of the vessel also partly in section; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section of the vessel as it wouldappear loaded.

1 represents a dock for the loading and unloading of railroad cars; 2represents the vessel of special design, though in general arrangementvarying but little-from the ordinary type of lake freight vessel. 3represents the upper deck of the vessel, 4 the tank top or lower deck,and 5 the between deck, which latter divides the hold of the vessel intotwo equal portions vertically. Upon the decks 4 and 5 are arranged sixlines of parallel railroad track indicated at 6, substantially theentire length of the vessel, except that the outside ones on the tanktop are necessarily shortened due to the drawing in of the lines of thevessel near the stern, as well as at the bow, and the two innermosttracks both on the tank top and between deck are shortened on account ofthe centermost space aft being occupied by the boiler, engine room, etc.

The two extreme outer tracks upon either side of the vessel and levelwith the between deck extend aft on the poop thereof, as at 7 forcooperative engagement with any desired arrangement of tracks on thedock; while the parallel short sections of track, indicated at 8, arerigidly fixed to the poop and register with the vertically movablesections of'track 9 which are hinged as at 10, so that the sections 8provide means of access for the cars to either the tank toptracks or the1926. Serial No. 102,947.

between deck tracks, depending upon whether or not the sections 9 areraised or lowered. In Figure 1 I have shown these sectionsof track indotted lines as being raised,'in which event cars could be moved eitherinto or out of the lower portion of the hold of the vessel upon theinclined tracks or ramps indicated at 11, there being one such sectionupon either side of the after engine or cabin compartment, indicated at12. These inclined sections of track 11 are provided with switches sothat cars may be shunted either to the innermost,outermost, or centraltrack, but such switching to the outermost track on the between decks isnot necessary, for, as before stated, the outermost tracks on thebetween deck are continuous.

I have shown the forward end of the compartment 12, as drawn incentrally as at 13 intermediate of the. innermost tracks, and

which portion of the compartment: may be used as coal bunkers or thelike in the hold of the vessel, while above the deck 3 it is obviousthatthe cabin or habitable portion of the vessel may be of any width orlengthidesired without interfering with the carrying capacity of thevessel.

When the lower portion of the hold of the vessel is filled with cars itis apparent that by lowering the sections 9 of the track, the upperportion of the hold may also be filled. At 14" I have shown doors orclosures for the after terminations of. the hold above the between decksso that whenthe vessel is loaded these doors may be closed and securelyfastened in any desired manner, thus making the rear end of the vesselsafe for ordinary navigation.

Just aft of the engine compartmentI have shown an extension thereofindicated at 15 which forms convenient housing arrange ment opening ontothe poop of the vessel on either side, as well as room for the tillerand other steering equipment.

In the embodiment here illustrated I con-v template the use of a vesselof approximately the following dimensions: foot beam,

feet deep, and 600 feet in length, and in which type of vessel therecould be easily carried one hundred loaded or light common railroadcars, and with this novel and convenient method of stowing loaded andunloaded cars it is apparent that the use of such a vessel wouldmaterially reduce the cost of freight handling and transportation oncombination rail and water routes.

Furthermore I have shown deck hatches, of which there may be any'desired arrangement, for convenient use of the vessel in 10 other linesof trading when desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

1. A freight vessel-of the typ'e described having a lower deck, an upperdeck, a between deck, an after centrally disposed comrt-ment, fore andaft passageways for the oading and unloading of railroad cars uponeither side of the compartment, said passagewe s being housed in by thatportion of the hu 1 of the vessel above the between deck to a pointmaterially inboard of the after termmation of said compartment for thepurpose described.

l 2. A freight vessel of the type described having a lower deck, anupper deck, a between deck, an after centrally disposed comartment, foreand aft passageways for the oading and unloading of railroad cars upon 3either side of the compartment, said passageways being housed in by thatportion of the hull of thevessel above the between deck to apointmaterially inboard of the after termmation of said compartment,ramps leading tothe lower deck from said passageways, and adjustabletracksections above said In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my sinature. EXANDER MILLER MGDOUGALL.

